Mushroom And Tofu Udon Noodle Bowl

Mushroom and Tofu Noodle Bowl

NOTE: I DOUBLED THE RECIPE, THAT IS DOWN BELOW. SCROLL DOWN TO MY DIRECTIONS TO SEE HOW I MADE IT.
(Click the link above, to see how Nick made his soup)
Ingredients

1 quart beef stock (I used water)
4 dried shiitake mushrooms (I used 1/2 container fresh mushrooms, cut small)
2 pieces dried black fungus (opt.) (I did not even think about using this ingredient)
4-6 dried red chilis (I used some chili paste, with no seeds or skin)
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
6 slices of fresh ginger
8-10 ounces fresh Udon noodles
8 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed (I used Firm tofu)
Salt or soy sauce (I used soy sauce, about 1 1/2 Tbl of it)

Toppings: Scallions, minced (I used shallots, since I had them in house and they got put in the oil, right at the top of the recipe)
Rice wine vinegar, drizzle to taste (I used balsamic Vinegar, which was all I had on hand)
Chili garlic sauce (see the chili paste, up above)
Sesame chili oil (I had it, but did not use any. I forgot about it)
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime or both.

These ingredients were the start of my soup.

I had read the recipe the night before and figured I could wing it, the next morning and I did. From what I can see, I basically doubled the recipe, because I had 2 packages of udon noodles. Since I had 3 large shallots, I did not use as much garlic as is shown in the recipe. I used 2 cloves. I did not remove anything from the pot and maybe I should have listened and removed the ginger, but I LOVE ginger and so it stayed. Do what makes you happy.

OK, how I did it.

I heated 1 tbl Olive Oil in a soup pot and added the shallots to it, stirring the entire time. Then I added the mushrooms, cut small. They bring a meaty umami flavor to the soup. It makes you not miss the fact that the protein is tofu.

After the water evaporated out of the mushrooms, I added the ginger and garlic cloves, chopped.

I put some of the lemon in then and saved some to add at the very end, to brighten it up.

I added the red chili paste in (we get it from our local Chinese restaurant.

Then I added about 2 quarts of water and began making the soup.

I let it blend together for about 15 minutes and then added soy sauce about 3 tbl of it and about 2 tbl of the balsamic vinegar.

I added the Udon Noodles (2 packages of them) and almost one of the chicken flavor that comes with it. I thought that might help with flavor and a little salt, too...knowing how those packages are.

I cut up my package of firm tofu and fried it in a little oil, until most sides were fried on the bottom. Then I added it to the boiling soup.

A few moments to let it do the mingle thing and then I added the rest of the lemon and considered it done.

Very nice, and feel free to add what you would prefer to make it taste right.